Limited demand for natural gas could keep 9 Bcf/d of production off the market over the next four years, a Bentek Energy LLC executive told an audience in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

At current rig counts and production rates, Bentek believes total domestic production could grow 14 Bcf/d through 2015, largely on the back of seven major unconventional plays, Jack Weixel, manager of energy market fundamentals for Bentek, said at the Northeast Shale Gas Symposium. In Pennsylvania alone -- one state in one basin -- Bentek expects 4 Bcf/d of growth through 2015.

Under the constraint of existing demand, though, Bentek sees growth of 5.4 Bcf/d by 2015. "There's not enough demand to support that other 9 Bcf/d of growth" and without increases, "you're basically going to blow up storage and you're going to drive the price of gas to 25 cents," Weixel said.